


Blackarachnia's Web

by KaranSeraph



Category: Charlotte's Web - E. B. White, G.I. Joe - All Media Types, Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-07-26
Updated: 2010-07-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 19:19:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaranSeraph/pseuds/KaranSeraph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slipstream shoots down a human pilot and is vilified by the locals; Blackarachnia seems motivated to create a series of diversions for the human media; and it falls to Optimus to attempt a diplomatic solution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blackarachnia's Web

**Author's Note:**

> Contains violence, death of human character, and robot in captivity
> 
> AU for the fact that the events don't fit between Five Servos of Doom and Predacons Rising. Also somewhat for the fact that the Crimson Angels have the names of G.I. Joe characters.
> 
> Several plot elements and passages of text are taken from Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White.
> 
> Originally started in response to a prompt "Slipstream/Blackarachnia - diverting diversions", but the ship turned out subtle inference.

It all started when Slipstream shot down one of the Crimson Angels, and a human pilot died. Up until then, the Decepticons had more or less been considered an Autobot problem, something that Detroit’s mechanical heroes could handle, while human residents went on with their daily lives. The death of USAF Lieutenant and stunt pilot Gregory B. Boyajian changed the political climate of Detroit, and its parent nation.

Word out back of Maramba Brothers was that Slipstream hadn’t even meant to kill the human. She’d seen red and let her feelings regarding Starscream get the best of her and, attacked without true intent. And, some argued, the Lieutenant’s death was only indirectly caused by her attack; she had fired upon his stunt-modified fighter jet, but he had probably been alive when he ejected from the cockpit.

It did not matter to the humans. To them, Slipstream, and all Decepticons with her, were now the enemy.

Slipstream, who had evaded Team Earth, the Autobot Elite Guard, and Lockdown, was ultimately captured by the combined efforts of the United States Armed Forces. They put enough vehicles in the air and water and on the ground about Detroit that she could not continue to avoid detection. Slender of build for a Decepticon, was still massive to a human. They located her hide-out in a boathouse , within a riverfront community in a stalled state of urban renewal.

The chase was captured on video by the military, local, national and foreign news teams, amateurs, and Detroit’s own Newsbot.

Without her brothers, Slipstream was prey to human-piloted fighters in the air, and was driven into the river and onto one of the nearby islands. Someone said “rain”, and they brought it. And, screaming, wings and turbines blasted and burned, Slipstream hadn’t the focus to fight off Marines armed with dry chemical fire extinguishers and tanks of dielectric gas.

They were not, however, though inferior technology or lack of understanding, able to take her offline, and so Slipstream was self-aware through the attack, the submission to cool chemicals, the placement of restraints and transport to the nearest USAF Base.

This was news. The capture, and even some portion of the transport , caught by so many recording devices it could not be suppressed. Even those who did not have residents of Detroit on their social networks and had little interest in rumors and conspiracy theories, now understood that giant, alien robots were on Earth, in the United States, in Detroit, and that one of them had allegedly killed a pilot by shooting-down his stunt plane during a return flight, after performance at an air show.

Of course, the video of that patriotic stunt performance by the team of Crimson Angels in became the second most watched video on the Net.  Lieutenant Boyajian’s teammates, Lt. Colonel “Skystriker” Russo, Major “Ghostrider” Jeffries, Captain “Ace” Armbruster, Captain “Maverick” Kiley, and Lieutenant “Dogfight” King, were all sought for interviews.  They always referred to their fallen teammate as Greg, or Lt. Boyajian, and always to Slipstream as “the robot”.

What actually happened to Slipstream during this time was a military secret. No Decepticons or neutrals remaining, even if curious, felt they should announce themselves to protest.  The Autobots had worked hard to maintain peaceful dealings with Detroit, and did not seem inclined to protest the capture of one of one of their race by the US military. And, the femme clone was their enemy, too.

A few solar cycles passed, and the event was still news. There were rumors of a movie deal in the works; Ace and Maverick were doing the talk-show circuit; there was a shrine on the outskirts of Detroit, where Lt. Boyajian’s body had landed. The remains of his fighter were quietly salvaged and transported to the same base at which Slipstream was held.

On the day of Lt. Boyajian’s funeral services in downtown Detroit, which were attended by family, friends, brothers-in-arms, and many local and national military and political officers, as well as members of the general public, including Autobot Optimus Prime, a web appeared.

It had been cast in shadow and unnoticed when the services began, but as the mourners exited, the Sun and Earth were positioned to dramatically side-light the enormous violet-tinged spider web spun between two tall, neighboring buildings. The web itself was a curious and notable phenomenon for its size, however it was remembered for bearing the words: Some Pilot.

The web and its message became the new news. It, too, of course was witnessed and captured on video. Photographers and videographers and even holographers remained to scan and capture the image of the web under the shifting natural and artificial light conditions for day and night in Detroit.

Arachnologists and Xenobiologists came to study the design and physical make-up of the web. And after some study, Chemical, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers were called-in, as the web was announced to be “technorganic”.

While this study was conducted, the relevance and meaning of “Some Pilot” was hotly debated across the globe. Was the phrase true praise for the fallen human? Was its tone actually intended to be sarcastic in nature? Did it actually refer to the alien in captivity, which had been seen briefly in a jet form? Was it an obscure reference to a children’s story?

It was during this debate, that Optimus Prime found his way to the loading dock behind Maramba Brothers Auto Supply, where his sources (probably involving the Dinobots) said other Cybertronians in Detroit came to meet. Scrapper and Wreckgar were known regulars, and on this occasion were joined by still-fugitive Wasp, three Dinobots, Soundwave, and two of his minions.

Optimus and Soundwave were somewhat surprised to see each other, as Optimus though they had defeated Soundwave some time ago, and Soundwave had not expected a Prime from Cybertron to deign to drink oil with the others, because he was part of the oppressive human-allied regime. Scrapper broke the tension by suggesting they were all hard-working bots and poured them both some oil, which the Maramba Borthers’ staff now provided, in exchange for occasional services, and agreement not to break-in and steal from their retail establishment, again.

“So, anybot seen Blackarachnia?”

None of those gathered claimed to know her present whereabouts, but all agreed they knew of her and that she was responsible for the web.

“Did she say why she made the web?” Optimus asked those gathered, “Does it have anything to do with that femme Starscream?”

At this, the others were compelled to inform Optimus that “girly-jet” or “femmescream” had a proper designation and it was Slipstream.

Optimus did not seem like he cared to remember the name, but he did take notice of how important it seemed to the others, or perhaps how important someone had convinced them it was. “Whatever her designation, what is the connection to the web?”

The others in turn explained to Optimus. Wasp said Slipstream was one who understood how it felt to have one’s intentions mistaken. Soundwave had not met her, but informed the Prime that his minion Ratbat was acquainted with the flying femme and found her logical and sympathetic to their cause.  Wreckgar said sometimes being with Slipstream was like having adult supervision. The flying Dinobot said he had seen Slipstream flying along the river or over the Island and she really was “some pilot”, agile, fast and graceful. “And she’s got nice curves,” Scrapper said, then amended, “I mean she says just what’s on her processor!”

“I still don’t understand why Blackarachnia is getting herself involved,” Optimus said. He drank his oil, and made an attempt at small talk, but soon left.

The next morning, another web appeared, this time attached to the top of Sumdac tower. It read: Terrific.

Again this was news. Lt. Boyajian was nearly forgotten, except as background for the webs. Now, the debate began to focus on who was creating these messages in the webs and more importantly: who was the intended recipient of these messages. Again, Optimus, this time traveling with Sari, made inquiries.  Blackarachnia, again, could not be found (presumably she was out spinning a new web).  The others they met, including a few humans, like Stiletto, Slo-mo and Professor Princess, mostly had good things to say about the captive Decepticon. Stilleto liked her fashion sense. Slo-mo said she was very well-spoken, as well as a good listener, and only half as manipulative as Swindle. Professor Princess seemed torn and then said, “They used a lot of military hardware to get rid of one giant robot with a girly deco!”

The next web read: Radiant.

After this, Optimus went out alone, and with some help from Wreckgar, who knew someone with a barge, made his way to the island. He found Blackarachnia there and convinced her to speak to him alone.

“I want to know what your connection is to the Starscream clone and why you are making these webs. A human died, and you seem to want to distract everyone’s attention from that.”

“Even I don’t know of any tech that can bring a human back to life. Even if your Autobot sentimentality should want to save him, you can’t. But, Slipstream is being left to rust in the hands of these humans, who obviously are more interested in vengeance than justice.  They will make this into some racial _us_ against _them_ and condemn her to life as a research subject. She can still be saved.”

“Here I thought Decepticons approved of vengeance. And, I don’t believe your motivations are noble. It’s more likely you want her as your own research subject!”

“You don’t know anything.  This isn’t about me. You’ve seen what passes as Decepticon around here. Starscream didn’t know what he had! She’s not like him. She’s…not quite as arrogant.”

“I haven’t found any of those clones to be lacking in arrogance.”

“She can see the advantage in joining forces!”

“Oh, I get it. You tried to manipulate Starscream, too.” Optimus left, in disappointment. Sometimes, there were hints of the Elita he had known in Blackarachnia. He had wanted to hear that her motivations were somehow noble, but at the time, he only saw that Blackarachnia had tried to use her charms on one more bot, and wanted some kind of payback for being scorned.

The next web message read: Humble.

Optimus did not go out. Instead, he stayed in with his team. But Prowl asked, “Are Blackarachnia’s messages intended for you?”

For a short while, Optimus did not answer, and then he said, “I think they are intended for whoever will understand and act on her messages. I don’t think her motivation is noble, but it is true we do not know what the humans would do with a Cybertronian prisoner. I want to trust the humans; we have friends among them. But, we’ve seen there are human villains out there, Archer, or Black, for example.”

“Powell’s not exactly a hero either, or his goon Masterson,” Sari added.

“The clone is being held by their military,” Prowl stated.

Several more days passed, without a web message. The debate on the Net died down. The webs themselves were analyzed. Then, on the occasion of a press-conference given by Mayor Edsel, and his Assistant, to assure the public that the webs were being removed without damage to structures in the city , Blackarachnia’s greatest work appeared.

Bumblebee and Bulkhead were upset that the news pre-empted the afternoon cartoon they enjoyed together before their shift at monitor duty, just as the villain was about to be unmasked! The helicopter shot of the web revealed a more intricate design than all those previous. The message read in English: Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.

“She’s not being manipulative at all, is she?” Ratchet grumbled.

“She’s right,” Optimus sighed.


End file.
